Certain drinking apparatus are known which are designed to make the consumption of various types of beverages, including carbonated beverages, more convenient. Representative examples of such apparatus are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 214,617; 1,253,579; 2,613,107; 3,099,565; and 5,038,476. Typically, such drinking apparatus have been used, for example, to automatically “float” a straw (which is enclosed in a drinking container) to the beverage surface for convenient access when the beverage container is opened (such as by removal of a bottle cap, for example). Other examples of known drinking apparatus include straws with integrated spoons, straws with mixing or swirling devices, and straws with check valves for fluid control or regulation.
Although, as evidenced by the above referenced patents, various types of apparatus have been invented in the past to render the process of drinking a beverage through a straw (or other tubular apparatus) more convenient, no known device or system has addressed the problem of the buoyant effect of escaping gases in carbonated beverages. In particular, a typical straw when placed in a carbonated beverage will not remain at the bottom of the glass (or other drinking container) where the beverage is most conveniently and efficiently withdrawn but will float to the surface and, at times, fall out of the glass. Such a floating straw is inconvenient in that its use requires that at least one hand be occupied in holding the straw at the desired location e.g. at the bottom of the glass. In addition, in a highly carbonated beverage, for example, a straw will often float very rapidly to the surface of the beverage and the straw will fall out of the glass causing beverage to spill on the person holding the beverage container, the table, or other surface (e.g. causing stains etc. . . . ).
In view of the above, it is apparent that there exists a need in the art for a drinking apparatus which is capable of anchoring itself against the buoyant effects of escaping gases in drinking beverages. It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill this need in the art, as well as other needs which will become apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.